Battle of Notium 407 BC Peloponnesian Wars

407 BC saw the arrival in Asia Minor of the very capable Spartan naval command Lysander. He had a fleet of ninety ships, which he decided to base at Ephesus. Alcibiades took the Athenian fleet to the same place, but when Lysander refused to come out and fight, Alcibiades took his fleet to nearby Notium. Alcibiades soon left the fleet to visit other Athenian forces in the area, leaving his pilot Antiochus in command of the fleet, with clear orders not to attack Lysander.

Antiochus ignored these orders, and decided to try and win a victory over part of the Spartan fleet. Our two main sources disagree on the early stages of the resulting battle. In Diodorus Siculus Antiochus took ten ships to Ephesus to challenge Lysander. Lysander led all of his ships out to sea, sank Antiochus's ship, and then pursued the other nine ships back towards Notium.

Another Friday Night Game with my new opponent my Wife.

Me and my wife played this game using simple quick throw down house rules as usual. It is like trying to make my wife understand a foreign language in 10 minutes, so instead we use simple house rules, that grade school kids can understand. She just wants to play, not learn sophisticated rules. 

This was my very first naval battle as well, and I had no rules. So I used what I know and a combination of siege rules and infantry rules. It worked and it was fun.  

I did not have anything to mark sunk ships. I plan on buying a few ships one day from Grand Manner and get some of their sunken galleys they have to represent this. Or I could just buy a few models and dissect them. 

 The Athenian fleet turning around as they near Notium and looking at the approaching Spartan fleet. 

The Athenian fleet (top of photo) is being lured into a trap by the Spartans. My wife unwilling not knowing this.

The Athenian fleet falls in to a trap.

The Spartans attempting to board an Athenian ship, but failed.

The Athenian fleet retreating.

Final move, The Spartans sink the last Athenian ship and win the game finally. My wife amazingly almost game back and could have won the game she had 1 ship against 3. She almost took out all of my ships, but in the end the Spartans prevailed.

This time I beat my wife in the game, but barely. She is good.

All miniatures made by Essex (Athens) and Crocodile Games (Spartans). The Ships are old Academy models.

Jousting Tournament At Couronne 993 IC (WHFB)

In the Year 15 (993 Imperial Calender)

The Knights of the Realm have gathered from all over Bretonnia to put on a display of their Equestrian skills and do daring deeds to prove who is Champion of The Realm. 

Couronne Tournament Field

Sir Malagant of Parravon's Pavilion

Sir Thomas challenging Sir Geoffrey to a drinking contest!! And your buying!!

Sir Geoffrey of Brionne walking out to see if the field is soft or hard. Just incase he takes a fall.

The following Knights are taking part of the Jousting Tournament. 

Baron Thegan of Couronne

Lord Haydon of Bastonne

Lord Louen Duke of Couroone

Sir Theodoric of Brionne

Sir Wilguric of Montfort

Sir Keefor of Long Locks

  Roland The Marshall of Lyonesse

Sir Hagen of Gisoreux

Sir Richard of Bordeleaux

Sir Thomas of Austray

Sir Geoffrey of Brionne

Sir Brocard of Couronne

Sir Baldemar of Bastonne

Sir Malagant of Parravon

Sir Philibert the Loon

Sir Adalhere Earl of Couronne

Sir Godun Victor of Drakkar

Sir Marcus of Ganelon

Sir Mitiri of Evroul

Sir Gareth of Harland

Sir Gawain Duke of Orkney could not make the joust, he was away on a quest in the Wastelands. 

Sir William of Whitehall horse became lame on the journey to Couronne and did not make it to the Tournament.

The Joust consists of 3 rounds of annihilation. The final 4th round is the to determine the Champion of Couronne. The prize is a new set of armor from the blacksmiths of Couronne and the grand purse of 5000 Billets. 

Let the games begin!!

Lords and Ladies!!! Have you come to see Knights doing daring deeds of Equestrian skills on horseback?? Have you come to see a Joust??? Well then I ask you to raise you raise your voices and give a hearty cheer to the Knights of the Realm!!!!

Each joust will consist of 3 passes. Scores will be kept for each Knight on each pass. If a knight becomes unhorsed during the match then he is out of the tournament and loses. If no knight is unhorsed, the knight with the highest score wins!!

Knights salute and take your ends!!

First Round of Jousting (10 jousts)

Sir Gareth vs Sir Hagen (Sir Gareth Unhorsed)

Sir Mitri vs Sir Wilguric

Sir Keefor vs Sir Geoffrey (Sir Geoffrey Unhorsed, he lost that drinking contest btw)

Sir Thomas vs Sir Baldemar (Sir Baldemar Unhorsed)

Sir Brocard vs Sir Richard of Bordeleaux (Sir Richard Unhorsed)

Sir Malagant (a distant relative of Sir William, btw)  vs Sir Adalhere

Sir Theodoric vs Duke Louen (Duke Louen Unhorsed, unbelievable,  too much to drink)

Duke Thegan vs Sir Marcus (Duke Thegan Unhorsed, who was out drinking with Duke Louen the night before, no doubt)

Lord Haydon vs Marshall Rolan

Sir Godun vs Sir Philibert

1st Round Winners

Second Round of Jousting (5 Jousts)

Sir Hagen vs Sir Mitri (Sir Mitri Unhorsed)

Sir Keefor vs Sir Thomas

Sir Brocard vs Sir Adalhere

Sir Theodoric vs Sir Marcus

Marshal Rolan vs Sir Godon Victor (Sir Godon Unhorsed)

2nd Round Winners

Third Round of Jousting (2 Jousts) Sir Marcus wins the coin toss and advances automatically to the final Round.

Sir Hagen vs Sir Thomas (Sir Hagen Unhorsed and carried of the field with broken lance in chest)

Sir Brocard vs Marshall Rolan (Marshall Rolan Unhorsed and then ran over by horse)

Third Round Winners 

Sir Thomas, Sir Marcus and Sir Brocard

Final Jousts of the Day

Sir Thomas vs Sir Brocard The Winner faces Sir Marcus for the Final Joust.

Champion Tournament Final Joust

Sir Thomas of Austray in the Colors of Green and Gold vs Sir Marcus in the Colors of Red and Gold. 

Knights Salute and to your ends. As the Knights raise their lances raise your voices and give them a loud and hearty cheer! Let the Joust Begin!

 Sir Thomas vs Sir Marcus for the Final Joust!!! (Sir Marcus is Unhorsed in the first pass, hits the ground so hard he breaks his neck and falls to his death)

Champion of Couronne

Sir Thomas of Austray

Champion of Couronne 

5000 Billets and a New Set of Coronne Armor

The Battle of Tanagra 457 BC (Peloponnesian Wars)

The Battle of Tanagra – 457 BC

Spartan Allied Army vs. Athenenian Allied Army

During the 1^st Peloponnesian War between 460 and 446 B.C., Athens and Sparta pursued a series of alliances. In 457 B.C. Sparta marched an army into Boeotia to intervene in a dispute between the Dorians and Phocians. This imposing army of Spartans and their allies compelled the Phocians to back down. Athens took this opportunity to move into position to block the Spartans return by blocking the Corinthian Gulf with their superior navy. The Spartans were left with trying to march through the Megarid near the Isthmus of Corinth. Athens had made a treaty with Megarid and in turn fortified Megara. The Spartan allied army was stuck in Boeotia and decided to stay there and plan their return route.

 Athens sent out an army to meet the Spartans and they came together outside Tanagra. The Spartans suffered heavy losses, but won the battle and opened the way back home. This was the first major land battle of the 1^st Peloponnesian war and started a pattern of Spartan dominance in that theatre. The Athenians had feared the possibilityof the Spartan army ravaging their countryside, which in turn resulted.

 Athenian Allied Forces

The Athenians brought a large contingent of hoplites that was supplemented by a number of allies including the Argives (1,000 heavy infantry). The total number given by Thucydides is 14,000 not including cavalry of which there would be a very small amount. This was a large army from a city state at the time considering only 5,100 were sent on the Syracuse expedition originally, and estimates for Mantinea (418 B.C.) was only around 8-9,000 a side. Allied forces of Athens included Plataeans, Chians, Lesbians, Messenians, Corkyraeans, Zakynthians, Akarnanians as well as towns of the coast of asia and Thrace and all isles of Aegean, except Melos and Thera.

Spartan Allied Forces

The allied Spartan army, led by Nicomedes, consisted of 1,500 Spartans and 10,000 allied soldiers. A group of Thessalian cavalry joined the Spartan side (from the Athenian army) during the battle according to Thucydides. Sparta allies included Boeotians, Megarians, Lokrians, Phoaeans, Leukadians, Ambarakotes and Anaktorians. The coast states supplied ships, the Boeotians, Locrians and Phokians with cavalry.

Using Tactica Rules 

The Battle of Tanagra 457 BC. The Spartans on the right and the Athenians on the left.

 

The room is filling full of smoke as she is planning her next move.

My wife the Victor (The Allied Athenians). Her first battle. She is glowing with victory. I taught her well.